Is Getting Rid of Timeshares a Problem?

What I'm trying to assess is whether timeshare owners feel that getting rid of them is a problem, say a problem that is worthy of space on a timeshare forum?

My wife and I have owned as many as 10 weeks over the last 25 years, and are done with them, and know how hard it is to get rid of them, or at least some of them, so that's not really what I'm asking.

It's whether it is a significant enough of a problem that internet forums devoted to timeshares should have boards devoted to discussing the exit strategy problem.

I'm not responsible for the contents or setup of these boards but I think that a pinned thread along the lines of "How to Get Rid of Your Timeshare" would not be a bad idea.

It seems that at least once or twice a week, someone is coming on these boards asking how to get rid of his timeshare or is asking about a company that claims it can "cancel" timeshares.

The flip side though is that it would have to contain accurate, up-to-date information which can usually be obscured by many shills and disgruntled owners. The thread would have to be constantly and very carefully monitored and moderated.

I was not talking specifically about this forum.

Maybe I am not saying it right, but it seems like timeshare forums are monopolized by a relatively small number of very prolific posters, all of whom are totally head over heels about their timeshares. They so much do not want anyone talking badly about them that they do not allow the problems of timesharing to be discussed.

Or, is not being able to get rid of a timeshare, and being forced to continue to pay for it by threats from the HOA, when you no longer use it, not really a problem?

jlb wrote:

They so much do not want anyone talking badly about them that they do not allow the problems of timesharing to be discussed.

Or, is not being able to get rid of a timeshare, and being forced to continue to pay for it by threats from the HOA, when you no longer use it, not really a problem?

Actually , if you read most of the threads on RedWeek's forums, it seems most of them are dealing with the scams and shady businesses that proliferation the timeshare industry. And, conversely, there are many happy timeshare owners who do talk about their timeshares. I guess it's a fair shake giving both sides a chance.

Are there a lot of scams that proliferate the timeshare industry? Definitely. Are there some timeshare companies with bad reputations? Definitely. Is there an abundance of units out there that are essentially worthless? Again, definitely. But, are there some units that are very useful to and cherished by their owners. Very much so.

One major difference that has to be acknowledged between happy owners and disgruntled owners who want out is that happy owners, for the most part, did their research before buying. Unhappy owners are usually the ones who either inherited unwittingly or bought at one of those hated sales presentations.

I know trying to accurately express yourself on the internet is difficult, but I'm not talking about what the law considers "scams".

I am talking about the "legitimate" industry's failure to provide an exit strategy, and the "legitimate" industry, typically resort HOAs, forcing owners who are totally done with their timeshares to continue to pay for something they do not want or use.

That is the problem, "forever timeshares", that I find the Internet forums not wanting to address. All those who monopolize the forums want to talk about is how great they are for them. There is more to be told than that.

I have addressed this issue over and over in the forum. I have another thread under the heading " getting rid of a timeshare ". I also recently started a thread titled " a hypothetical way to get rid of a timeshare ". I have been an advocate for years to get the industry to work with owners for an exit strategy.

There are steps to take if you want to get rid of a timeshare. First contact your home resort and see if they will take it back through a deed back. That is the best way if they agree. You have to be current in your maintenance fees and assessments. They may ask you to pay the next years fees to give them time to resell the unit and that is reasonable.

Next is try to find someone to take over ownership. As long as you transfer it to another person you are now free of your obligation. It is not your responsibility to find someone they approve as long as it's transferred out of your name. You give them the chance to take it back and they refuse then your conscience is clear. There are people out there that have nothing for them to go after and might find a timeshare is something they might want to have. You might even sweeten the pot by paying their first years maintenance fees for their trouble.

If the industry wants to play hardball then you might have to be creative in your approach. When a large corporation uses tactics and loopholes to their advantage the get accolades but when a private citizen uses them they condemn the practice.

Use your own judgment and make it your priority to get rid of your burden. I got rid of two timeshares through deed backs in 2011. I called my home resorts and told them in no other terms that I was going to get rid of my timeshares with or without their assistance and that it was in their best interest to work with me and they did. You have to do the work.

Don't fall for the scams that prey on owners wanting to get out of their timeshares. NEVER pay anyone money upfront to get out of your timeshare. Good luck.

So you believe it is a proper topic for an internet forum?

Do you feel you have you been targeted here by those who love their timeshares? You know, for talking about problems with them?

I'm not asking that because I was asking about this forum in particular. I'm asking to see if timeshare owners believe forums purporting to be a reliable source of information about timeshares should allow talk about the problem in getting rid of them.

Last time I remembered this is a free country and it includes free speech. That's the purpose of a free society. Both sides are free to speak. This is an open forum so you can speak about anything you want. You also have the right to ignore the parts you don't agree with. I have no idea about what you are trying to silence that you don't agree with.

Like I said, it's hard to communicate on Internet forums.

I don't know that what I said that could be misconstrued as being about you or this forum. But obviously that has been the case. I know that happens.

Except now, the free speech thing, (which is not the topic I was wanting to discuss) that is not the case on Internet forums. The law, or the interpretation of it, at least at this time, and how forums operate, is that those who participate in Internet forums do so as a guest of the owner, and whatever the owner or their representatives say goes. The same as if you were visiting someone in their home.

But if this one allows free speech good for it, although I bet there is a limit, and there are rules, I suspect. - - - - - - Now, back to the OP, is not being able to get rid of a timeshare a serious issue that should be discussed on an Internet forum?

Or is not being able to get rid of a timeshare not really a serious issue, so that forums are justified in stifling talk about it? Should forums just talk about how to use them and how great they are . . . just the positive stuff?

Anyone else have a thought about that?

Sounds like someone who works in the timeshare industry wants to censor the forum to only talk about what he wants to talk about. Go start your own forum if that's what you want.

Jlb -

Just to clarify our policies on these forums pages, we will not remove or edit a post unless one of the following applies:

1) It contains foul or abusive language 2) It is advertising a timeshare or other product/service 3) It has personal contact information without that person's consent (home/cell phone number, home address, personal email) or other personal information that is not relevant to the issue being discussed.

Otherwise we invite all users to post their opinions and rebuttals so other users can read and draw their own conclusions.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to Contact Us.

Phyllis

jlb wrote:

I'm asking to see if timeshare owners believe forums purporting to be a reliable source of information about timeshares should allow talk about the problem in getting rid of them.

Maybe you are having a tough time properly expressing yourself on an internet forum such as RedWeek. I am trying to understand your concern as well as trying to answer your question(s).

But again, if you scroll through forums that deal with timeshares such as this one ts4ms.com or tugbbs.com, you will see that there are many posts and threads dealing with the various problems in the timeshare industry. They include:

-resale and rental scams -sleazy timeshare sales people (and their presentations) -how to legally rescind (cancel) such a purchase -good and bad resorts -good and bad timeshare companies -should resorts be forced to take unwanted units back -charities, PCCs, Viking Ships, and law firms -what to do about units in a deceased person's will -how best to advertise your unit for rent or sale -how to get rid of your ownership as painlessly as possible

and many others.

There have been numerous discussions about these topics including the one that seems to concern you the most. More importantly, there have been people freely express both sides of the issues. The only censoring I see is if, as Phyl said, the poster exposes some ill-advised personal information, uses vile language, or tries to advertise.

If you want to talk about the issue you have with paying maintenance fees on a unit that you no longer want, or any other timeshare-related matter, go right ahead. Fire away.

OK, is anyone here actively doing anything about what I consider to be the industry's worst problem, failing to have an exit strategy for timeshare ownership?

Do you think there is anything owners, as a group, can do?

I understand that there are a few exceptions, but by and large it is like someone said a long, long time ago, a timeshare trap for most owners.

By and large, the product is not sold with an exit plan when the owner is done timesharing, which every owner will eventually be one way or the other. Sales people pretend to refuse to even consider that someone would ever not want to own a timeshare. Most resorts resort to ugliness and scare tactic to force people to pay for something they don't want and don't use when they get to that point.

That can't be good for an industry that is already ill-regarded by the general populous and can't be good in the long run for the owners who like what they own. Refusing to take back a week for free, or with an owner paying one year's MF in advance, as man example, seems to reveal what that week is really worth.

This one problem makes what should be a decent and honorable product for those who want it a nightmare for those who did but no longer do.

&, again, I was not referring to this forum, or anyone here, as I have never been teamed up on or criticized and insulted here.

and thanks

PS: I just came back to clarify that it is not the proliferation of scammy resale companies like Florida's Pam Bondi are after. I'm talking about the legitimate industry, because if it offered a way for owners to leave gracefully, those owners would not have to resort to upfront fees and PCCs.

Finally I get what you are talking about. The thing you have to understand is that the developers run the industry. They prey upon people who are in a euphoric state during a vacation to sell their product. Usually by the time they realize what they purchased may not be best for them the rescission period has expired. Then down the road when they see that the maintenance fees and assessments are going through the ceiling they decide they want out. That's when they find out there is no market for their timeshare or points.

The timeshare industry spends million to lobby for rules that favor them. The owners have no lobby. This forum allows us to communicate and to help each other come up with solutions. I have offered advice that I have personally used and some suggestions others might consider using. I know that my hypothetical solution is extreme but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Like I said in a earlier post if a large corporation uses loopholes and tactics to pick your pocket they receive accolades from their colleagues, If a consumer uses loopholes and tactics to free himself from their web of deceit he gets condemned by them.

Looks like we are on the same page now that I know what you are saying. Let's all work together to help others achieve and exit strategy and hope that the industry wakes up someday and works with us to correct the problem.

OK, let me tie "Let's all work together" with "Internet timeshare forum".

Overseas the problem of the timeshare industry failing to provide for owners who are done with their timeshares appears to be even greater than in the US. I could find the exact figure, but from memory I believe something like 40% of owners in the UK want out.

I believe Israel was in the process of developing legislation requiring deedbacks (and I use deedbacks as a single word meaning the resorts or "clubs" would be required to accommodate those who want out) when the resort industry got wind of it and got involved in it themselves.

In the US there are states that are pro-active when it comes to regulating the industry, only I don't believe they are aware of the exit strategy problem. For instance, Florida and Missouri, have been very active in prosecuting outright scams in sales and resales. Even the Federal government prosecuted one of the largest timeshare companies for No Call violation.

So, is it conceivable that Internet timeshare forums could do something as simple as provide a properly-worded petition where owners who believe that the industry should offer some sort of exit strategy could sign, and that could be presented to the FTC and the various states?

This country has a history of policing business and industry when it chooses to not police itself.

So?

I just want to add that my wife and I have been trying to get rid of 6 timeshare weeks since 2008. In 2011, we bought a house in the area where we timeshared to for 20 years, so we no longer need our timeshares at all.

I have been doing whatever I can do to help recoup some of our fees, and I feel I should not have to be doing that, wasting my time on something we should no longer have any involvement in whatsoever.

From that time forward I have offered our weeks for free and they have been on the Internet, including internet forums.

I have lobbied, without success, to the point where I have been annoying to the timeshare lovers on a forum, one where I have known and been fairly close to the owner and administrator for 16 years.

Then, just this morning, a user of that forum emailed me to let me know that the owner of another timeshare forum posted that the resort which I have chronicle as being unprofessional and abusive to me and has absolutely refused to discuss the possibility of taking back our weeks, took back the week of an owner because they were of the age where they could not travel any more.

He posted that the resort required the owner to pay two years maintenance fee, but wouldn't that make more sense than having a scammy PCC involved? I think one year would be fair to both sides, but that's the point. The point is to get the industry to address the problem other than by ugliness and threats of legal retaliation.

So, including this forum, there's three forums involved in that, with no concerted effort.

Imagine.

(incorporated in new post)

Is there an organization out there that represents the interests of timeshare owners rather than developers? For example, does ARDA do anything for timeshare owners? It may be time to withdraw financial support from organizations that are biased toward developer interests.

I just visited the ARDA website and I see no evidence of a membership for other than industry participants. Strange, Marriott maintenance fee statements always suggest a contribution to ARDA to represent "our" interests.

The organizations that favor developers are funded by the developers and their lobbyists. They spend millions to get legislation that favor themselves. We have the best politicians money can buy and this is proven by the fact that the lobbyists buy their legislation with campaign donations and freebies to the candidates. It's the American way and it needs to be changed.

The Arda contribution from timeshares goes to ARDA-Roc. I don't contribute and make sure that the fee is removed from all of my MF's. http://www.ardaroc.org/roc/home.aspx

It is a branch of ARDA but as you and others have noted ARDA is specifically concerned with protecting Developers. In rare cases the interests of owners and developers may coincide but that seems to be the few and far between issues.